As Ghanaians head to the polls on December 7, 2024, Michael Donyina Mensah, Executive Director of the Centre for Public Opinion and Awareness, has criticized a segment of the electorate for demanding freebies rather than holding politicians accountable.

“As I blame the politicians in part, I also blame the citizens because many of them are demanding these freebies. That’s why politicians are playing the same game with them,” he said.

In an interview with Voice of America radio, Mensah urged citizens to demand more from their politicians and focus on substantive issues rather than party loyalty and personal benefits.

He also expressed disappointment with the manifestos of Ghana's two leading political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mensah criticized both parties for failing to address the country's pressing issues, such as rising inflation, unemployment, and the monetization of politics. He argued that the manifestos of both parties are too similar and recycle old ideas without offering concrete solutions.

“Unfortunately, both manifestos are very similar in nature and recycle old ideas. I feel that in their current form, these manifestos are not equipped to solve the problems we face as a country,” he said.

He emphasized the need for drastic measures, such as decoupling the police from presidential control and banning the importation of goods that can be produced locally.

“Another crucial step is canceling ex gratia payments because they motivate many to enter politics for personal gain, knowing there’s a reward at the end.

“These are difficult decisions, but they are necessary if we want to make real progress. Unfortunately, these critical issues are glaringly missing from the manifestos. Without addressing these issues, we cannot move forward as a country,” he explained.

According to Mensah, the current manifestos lack the bold reforms needed to tackle Ghana's challenges effectively.

“In the long term, they do not provide solutions to our problems. Furthermore, neither party offers a significantly different alternative because they use the same ideas and remain within the same framework. Many of their proposals lack clarity on funding sources,” he added.

Mensah’s remarks come amid growing frustration among civil society groups with the political parties and a pressing need for innovative solutions to improve living standards in Ghana.

AM/BB

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